Physics or Applied Maths?

Minako9194

I'm in fifth year at the moment and I'm switching schools after Christmas and I have to drop DCG as the school I'm going to doesn't offer it.Any suggestions will be appreciated!

Btw,I'm planning to do Engineering/Computer Science course in UCD
Subjects ALL HL
Maths
Irish
English
French
Japanese
Biology
Chemistry
DCG(but dropping it later on)

skippy1977

Minako9194 wrote: »

I'm in fifth year at the moment and I'm switching schools after Christmas and I have to drop DCG as the school I'm going to doesn't offer it.Any suggestions will be appreciated!

Btw,I'm planning to do Engineering/Computer Science course in UCD
Subjects ALL HL
Maths
Irish
English
French
Japanese
Biology
Chemistry
DCG(but dropping it later on)

I would suggest both Physics AND Applied Maths! Especially if you are interested in Engineering/Computer Science. Depending on whether you can do both I would see them as far more relevant to what you want to do in the future that studying 2 languages and Biology?

micar

Doing maths and physics together will help you doing applied maths.

Applied maths is interesting. It's a very visual subject.

I didn't do it in school but did it in college.

carefulnowted

Minako9194 wrote: »

I'm in fifth year at the moment and I'm switching schools after Christmas and I have to drop DCG as the school I'm going to doesn't offer it.Any suggestions will be appreciated!

Btw,I'm planning to do Engineering/Compuer Science course in UCD
Subjects ALL HL
Maths
Irish
English
French
Japanese
Biology
Chemistry
DCG(but dropping it later on)

Is there any way you could try out both of them and see which you prefer? I'd regard physics as being slightly easier than applied maths, in that the calculations are much less complex. Applied maths focuses solely on the mechanics section of physics - if you'd like to learn about optics, waves, electricity or nuclear physics, applied maths won't cut it for you.

I also think you need to be very strong at HL maths to do well in applied maths. Other people might disagree with me on this, but I think someone who is not an A/B student in HL maths will struggle in applied maths, tbh. If you're good at maths and find applied maths doable, it will be a nice LC subject because it requires practice, not rote learning.

With regards to college, I think having a good grounding in physics could be beneficial for you, but it will probably be taught to you in first year anyway.

randylonghorn

Whatever you do, don't do both and end up with nine subjects, you will end up spreading yourself way too thinly!

Seven subjects is sufficient unless you have a couple you worry about (after all you can only count six).

I would strongly suggest eight is the absolute maximum any student should attempt in any circumstances.

Bazinga_N

I definitely wouldn't recommend doing both of them if you're already doing 7 HL subjects! I agree with the above poster who said to try out both of them if you can. I did both for my leaving. I hated applied maths but loved physics. I had the same teacher for both and much the same people in my class for both too so it wasn't anything like that. It was genuinely just how I felt about the subject. Managed to get a C2 in Applied Maths and an A2 in Physics and it's all down to the fact I just liked Physics more and found it easier to study. No one's going to be able to tell you which one will suit you better tbh, so ask the school if you could attend both for a week or two until you figure out which one you like better!

TMJM96

Why are you studying both French and Japanese, surely you only need the one language?

If you plan on studying Comouter Science or Engineering I would recommend having BOTH Physics and Applied Maths. Would it be possible to do both of them wile dropping one of the languages?

I'm studying Physics in college and I share modules with Engineers and I honestly feel Applied Maths will set you up for a better time in college. LC Physics doesn't do much to prepare you to actually do well in college for what you want to do, the LC syllabus is just a fair bit of rote learning and simple calculations. Applied Maths actually seems to test you and there's very little rote learning in it.

skippy1977

randylonghorn wrote: »

Whatever you do, don't do both and end up with nine subjects, you will end up spreading yourself way too thinly!

Seven subjects is sufficient unless you have a couple you worry about (after all you can only count six).

I would strongly suggest eight is the absolute maximum any student should attempt in any circumstances.

Totally agree. Only suggesting doing both as part of a 7 or (absolute max) 8 subject leaving cert ...and as part of an overall plan to study Engineering or Computer Studies.

Minako9194

skippy1977 wrote: »

I would suggest both Physics AND Applied Maths! Especially if you are interested in Engineering/Computer Science. Depending on whether you can do both I would see them as far more relevant to what you want to do in the future that studying 2 languages and Biology?

I chose French because it's a requirement for UCD I think and Japanese because Mandarin wasn't on the Leaving Cert and since I'm Chinese I have the advantage of learning Japanese (Kanji) I love Biology😂

micar wrote: »

Doing maths and physics together will help you doing applied maths.

Applied maths is interesting. It's a very visual subject.

I didn't do it in school but did it in college.

Visual subject...I don't think I'm good at visualing things as I'm already struggling with DCG.But thanks!

skippy1977

Minako9194 wrote: »

I chose French because it's a requirement for UCD I think and Japanese because Mandarin wasn't on the Leaving Cert and since I'm Chinese I have the advantage of learning Japanese (Kanji) I love Biology😂

Ah well that's fair enough. I always recommend doing something you like and if you love Biology then definitely don't drop that!

Minako9194

carefulnowted wrote: »

Is there any way you could try out both of them and see which you prefer? I'd regard physics as being slightly easier than applied maths, in that the calculations are much less complex. Applied maths focuses solely on the mechanics section of physics - if you'd like to learn about optics, waves, electricity or nuclear physics, applied maths won't cut it for you.

I also think you need to be very strong at HL maths to do well in applied maths. Other people might disagree with me on this, but I think someone who is not an A/B student in HL maths will struggle in applied maths, tbh. If you're good at maths and find applied maths doable, it will be a nice LC subject because it requires practice, not rote learning.

With regards to college, I think having a good grounding in physics could be beneficial for you, but it will probably be taught to you in first year anyway.

I guess Applied Maths isn't for me as I have a really bad Maths teacher, so bad that most people failed their tests but I'm not bad at maths or dominant either.(Got a B in the JC)Hearing that you're doing Applied Maths and Physics (idk)in college .What's your course and how do you find it?
Thanks for helping me.

randylonghorn wrote: »

Whatever you do, don't do both and end up with nine subjects, you will end up spreading yourself way too thinly!

Seven subjects is sufficient unless you have a couple you worry about (after all you can only count six).

I would strongly suggest eight is the absolute maximum any student should attempt in any circumstances.

Initially I thought of doing nine but then I realise that every subject's course is very long...
Don't worry I'll stick with eight!Thanks by the way.

carefulnowted

Minako9194 wrote: »

I guess Applied Maths isn't for me as I have a really bad Maths teacher, so bad that most people failed their tests but I'm not bad at maths or dominant either.(Got a B in the JC)Hearing that you're doing Applied Maths and Physics (idk)in college .What's your course and how do you find it?
Thanks for helping me.

I'm not in college I'm in sixth year! I do both applied maths and physics and I prefer applied maths because I find it more engaging and "real-life", if you know what I mean. A B in the junior cert isn't bad at all.

Consider trying out applied maths for a couple of weeks - if it doesn't work out you can drop it, no hassle at all. And the same with physics. Best of luck!

Minako9194

Bazinga_N wrote: »

I definitely wouldn't recommend doing both of them if you're already doing 7 HL subjects! I agree with the above poster who said to try out both of them if you can. I did both for my leaving. I hated applied maths but loved physics. I had the same teacher for both and much the same people in my class for both too so it wasn't anything like that. It was genuinely just how I felt about the subject. Managed to get a C2 in Applied Maths and an A2 in Physics and it's all down to the fact I just liked Physics more and found it easier to study. No one's going to be able to tell you which one will suit you better tbh, so ask the school if you could attend both for a week or two until you figure out which one you like better!

Congrats on your results!and thanks for the tips by the way

micar

Minako9194 wrote: »

Visual subject...I don't think I'm good at visualing things as I'm already struggling with DCG.But thanks!

Have you checked out the course book in a book shop.
You would understand what I mean.

Certain aspects can applied in everyday life. It's a very practical subject.

Minako9194

carefulnowted wrote: »

I'm not in college I'm in sixth year! I do both applied maths and physics and I prefer applied maths because I find it more engaging and "real-life", if you know what I mean. A B in the junior cert isn't bad at all.

Consider trying out applied maths for a couple of weeks - if it doesn't work out you can drop it, no hassle at all. And the same with physics. Best of luck!

Ahh good luck with your Leaving Cert I'm sure you'll be grand -the most generic phrase ever haha but seriously you'll do well.But I'm doing it in the middle of fifth year because I switch school by then.Don't you think it will be really hard to pick up a subject and considering the circumstances (sh**e maths teacher)and Thanks so much haha!

micar wrote: »

Have you checked out the course book in a book shop.
You would understand what I mean.

Certain aspects can applied in everyday life. It's a very practical subject.

Guess that's why it's called Applied Maths haha.Haven't checked the book yet but I will.Are you doing your LC this year?

randylonghorn

Minako9194 wrote: »

I chose French because it's a requirement for UCD I think and Japanese because Mandarin wasn't on the Leaving Cert and since I'm Chinese I have the advantage of learning Japanese (Kanji) I love Biology

French isn't a requirement for UCD, having a foreign language is. French was probably the standard one your old school offered.

mathemagics

I add my voice urging you to try to do both Physics and Applied Mathematics since you are considering engineering. Furthermore, you may wish to consider the calculus class at DIAS (dias.ie/stp/stp-calculus-course/). I am reluctant to suggest dropping Biology, since you enjoy it and your university plans may change before next year, but if there is a very strong chance that you are going to do engineering, then it shouldn't take the place of Physics or Applied Mathematics.